The story of the mendicants who became emaciated from discontent.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Somadeva Bhatta, active 11th century and Tawney, C. H. (Charles Henry)
There were some wandering mendicants, who became fat by being satisfied with what they got by way of alms. Some friends saw this and began to remark to one another; “Well! these mendicants are fat enough, though they do live on what they get by begging.” Then one of them said,—“I will shew you a strange sight. I will make these men thin, though they eat the same things as before.” When he had said this, he proceeded to invite the mendicants for one day to his house, and gave them to eat the best possible food, containing all the six flavours.22 And those foolish men, remembering the taste of it, no longer felt any appetite for the food they got as alms; so they became thin. So that man who had entertained them, when he saw these mendicants near, pointed them out to his friends, and said; “Formerly these men were sleek and fat, because they were satisfied with the food which they got as alms, now they have become thin, owing to disgust, being dissatisfied with their alms. Therefore a wise man, who desires happiness, should establish his mind in contentment; for dissatisfaction produces in both worlds intolerable and unceasing grief.” When he had given his friends this lesson, they abandoned discontent, the source of crime; to whom is not association with the good improving? “Now king, hear of the fool and the gold.”